The Great House Farm Story
--------------------------------------------------------- Introduction ------------------------------------------------------
Alongside St Dochdwy's Church, Llandough once stood Great House Farm, the site of a Celtic monastery and a missionary centre. Great House Farm overlay the site of one of the major early-medieval monasteries of Glamorgan.
------------------------------------------------------------ 525 A.D --------------------------------------------------------
The Council of Clermont in 535 divided the diocesan clergy into three categories — those of the city;
those of the rural parishes (equivalent to the later minsters); and those who live in a villa and celebrate divine service there.
Anyone wishing to establish a rural church on their estate must provide enough land, property and clergy for its proper endowment; relics were not to be placed in such churches unless clerics from a nearby minster were available to sing psalms over them, and proper provision made for a priest. Landowners were not to celebrate the great Christian feasts at their estate chapels, but with the bishop in the city.
-------------------------------------------------------- 1st Century --------------------------------------------------------
n/a
-------------------------------------------------------- 2nd Century -------------------------------------------------------
A roman villa was constructed.
-------------------------------------------------------- 3rd Century ------------------------------------------------------
Considerable developed in the early century. Occupied until the early 4th century.
370-640 cal A.D - Burial had commenced
------------------------------------------------------- 4th Century -------------------------------------------------------
Though Christian villa chapels of the Roman, period are archaeologically elusive, literary references show that they were not uncommon. Ausonius, in the late 4th century, mentions a private oratory within the domestic apartments of his villa near Bordeaux, matching the evidence from Lullingstone (Kent),8 and two 4th-century Christian tombstones from villa sites in western Gaul imply the presence of Christian cemeteries, perhaps with associated chapels.
------------------------------------------------------- 5th Century -----------------------------------------------------
There was activity of some nature. Saint Dochdwy, who is said to have accompanied Cadvan into Wales in the early part of the Sixth century; and the parish church, which is dedicated to that Saint, has consequently been regarded as the original church of the monastery.
Supposed by some writers to have been the site of an ancient monastery, founded in the fifth century for twelve monks, or canons, and dedicated to the Holy Trinity, by St. Cyngarus.
From the later 5th century onwards, Gallic church councils refer frequently to oratoria villara and it would be anachronistic to consider whether this should be translated as ‘villa chapel’ or ‘estate church’.
----------------------------------------------------------- 6th Century -------------------------------------------------
For the 6th century, the Council of Clermonts' rulings can be supplemented by numerous anecdotal accounts by Gregory of Tours of the foundation of rural estate churches by private landowners in central and western Gaul. Whether any of these were on the sites of what an archaeologist would recognise as a Roman villa is unknown.
The ceramic evidence suggests that by the 6th century, the post-Roman cemetery at Llandough was well established, and in amicable contact with the nearby fortified high-status site of Dinas Powys. The most probable explanation is that a religious community had settled on the villa site, perhaps amid the surviving
remnants of the wider villa community, with the consent or co-operation of whatever regulus or sub regulus controlled Dinas Powys. There is no reason to question the tradition that its founder, whether an archpriest (head of a secular minster community) or a monastic abbot, was a man named Dochdwy. Sherds of Bii
amphorae are known from other Insular monastic sites and again the literary evidence comes to our help.
------------------------------------------------------------ 8th Century -----------------------------------------------
There was activity of some nature. (30 burials, two recovered through salvage recording)
999–1284 cal A.D - There was activity of some nature. A burial was found in the demolished wall of the villa.
---------------------------------------------------------- 9th Century ------------------------------------------------
n/a
--------------------------------------------------------- 10th Century -----------------------------------------------
n/a
--------------------------------------------------------- 11th Century -----------------------------------------------
n/a
--------------------------------------------------------- 11th Century -------------------------------------------------
The village of Llandough was granted to Tewkesbury Abbey, and a grange was subsequently established here. This remained in Tewkesbury’s ownership until the Dissolution when it was confiscated by the Crown and sold. Llandough fell into obscurity in the 11th century, and its community became extinct. The cemetery appears to have fallen into disuse by around the 11th/ 12th centry. The decline of tar monastery at Llandough may have been associated with the rise of Llandaff, only 3 miles distant
The burials continued at Llandough until the demise of the monastery. The manor of Llandough, together with the priory of Cardiff and the manor of West Llantwit, formed one of the principal Glamorgan properties of Tewkesbury Abbey. The village of Llandough had been granted to the Abbey by Robert FitzHamon at the close of the 1 I th century. As at Llantwit a grange was established
--------------------------------------------------------- 12th Century -----------------------------------------------------
A dovecote and barn overlay the villa site and may be part of the grange. Walls of the villa reused as foundations for a barn. Evidence that occupation may have continued on the villa site into the post-Roman period. These were associated with pits, crude areas of paving, and sections of walling. The corner of a substantial 12th- or 13th-century house had previously been uncovered in 1963, when a gully containing three human skeletons of possible 13th-century date was also recorded. Further structures were revealed during the 1979 watching brief in the same area. The filling of the grave for B10/11* contained a fragment of 13th- or 14th-century roof tile. In various 13th-century grams by small freeholders of messuages and lands in Llandough, the Abbot of Tewkesbury is named as lord of the fee of Llandough
------------------------------------------------------------13th Century ---------------------------------------------------
....the home belonged to the Williams' family and was opened on occasions for local people, schoolchildren and visitors to view. Work was undertaken to replace the stone floor with timber. Underneath the floor in the elegant dining room were found the remains of a soldier and his horse. This suggested there may have been a battle on the site and the soldier was buried where he lay in his armour. The remains were re-buried in the churchyard and his visor and lance given to the National Museum of Wales. Visitors to the farm saw how people lived in the past, how they made their butter, cheese and beer and dried pork, and sent their sheep's wool to the woollen mill on Leckwith Hill for spinning into yarn. They saw the cheese drying room hollowed out of a solid wall and the bedroom where in earlier centuries monks took rest on their travels.
------------------------------------------------------------ 14th Century ---------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------ 15th Century ---------------------------------------------------
In the middle of the 15th century the net revenue for the Abbot of Tewkesbury was about £10. The grange being administered by a bailiff, responsible to the Prior of Cardiff. By this date the Abbey had long ceased to cultivate its land which had been demised to various 'farmers.' At the Dissolution Llandough was confiscated by the Crown and after-wards sold to Edward Ferrers, Lord Clynton.
??????????????????????
------------------------------------------------------------ 16th Century ---------------------------------------------------
n/a
------------------------------------------------------------ 17th Century ---------------------------------------------------
The farmhouse dated largely to the 17th century, although it may have incorporated some earlier fabric.
The wall of the churchyard matches the masonry in the church, which was rebuilt in the mid-19th century.
The chancel arch is said to be Norman. Diane Brook has charted the development of the farms adjacent churchyard in an unpublished M.A. thesis: the current boundary was in existence by 1878, but had developed from a churchyard of more rectilinear form depicted on maps of 1786, 1824 and 1846.
Alongside St Dochdwy's Church, Llandough once stood Great House Farm, the site of a Celtic monastery and a missionary centre. Great House Farm overlay the site of one of the major early-medieval monasteries of Glamorgan.
------------------------------------------------------------ 525 A.D --------------------------------------------------------
The Council of Clermont in 535 divided the diocesan clergy into three categories — those of the city;
those of the rural parishes (equivalent to the later minsters); and those who live in a villa and celebrate divine service there.
Anyone wishing to establish a rural church on their estate must provide enough land, property and clergy for its proper endowment; relics were not to be placed in such churches unless clerics from a nearby minster were available to sing psalms over them, and proper provision made for a priest. Landowners were not to celebrate the great Christian feasts at their estate chapels, but with the bishop in the city.
-------------------------------------------------------- 1st Century --------------------------------------------------------
n/a
-------------------------------------------------------- 2nd Century -------------------------------------------------------
A roman villa was constructed.
-------------------------------------------------------- 3rd Century ------------------------------------------------------
Considerable developed in the early century. Occupied until the early 4th century.
370-640 cal A.D - Burial had commenced
------------------------------------------------------- 4th Century -------------------------------------------------------
Though Christian villa chapels of the Roman, period are archaeologically elusive, literary references show that they were not uncommon. Ausonius, in the late 4th century, mentions a private oratory within the domestic apartments of his villa near Bordeaux, matching the evidence from Lullingstone (Kent),8 and two 4th-century Christian tombstones from villa sites in western Gaul imply the presence of Christian cemeteries, perhaps with associated chapels.
------------------------------------------------------- 5th Century -----------------------------------------------------
There was activity of some nature. Saint Dochdwy, who is said to have accompanied Cadvan into Wales in the early part of the Sixth century; and the parish church, which is dedicated to that Saint, has consequently been regarded as the original church of the monastery.
Supposed by some writers to have been the site of an ancient monastery, founded in the fifth century for twelve monks, or canons, and dedicated to the Holy Trinity, by St. Cyngarus.
From the later 5th century onwards, Gallic church councils refer frequently to oratoria villara and it would be anachronistic to consider whether this should be translated as ‘villa chapel’ or ‘estate church’.
----------------------------------------------------------- 6th Century -------------------------------------------------
For the 6th century, the Council of Clermonts' rulings can be supplemented by numerous anecdotal accounts by Gregory of Tours of the foundation of rural estate churches by private landowners in central and western Gaul. Whether any of these were on the sites of what an archaeologist would recognise as a Roman villa is unknown.
The ceramic evidence suggests that by the 6th century, the post-Roman cemetery at Llandough was well established, and in amicable contact with the nearby fortified high-status site of Dinas Powys. The most probable explanation is that a religious community had settled on the villa site, perhaps amid the surviving
remnants of the wider villa community, with the consent or co-operation of whatever regulus or sub regulus controlled Dinas Powys. There is no reason to question the tradition that its founder, whether an archpriest (head of a secular minster community) or a monastic abbot, was a man named Dochdwy. Sherds of Bii
amphorae are known from other Insular monastic sites and again the literary evidence comes to our help.
------------------------------------------------------------ 8th Century -----------------------------------------------
There was activity of some nature. (30 burials, two recovered through salvage recording)
999–1284 cal A.D - There was activity of some nature. A burial was found in the demolished wall of the villa.
---------------------------------------------------------- 9th Century ------------------------------------------------
n/a
--------------------------------------------------------- 10th Century -----------------------------------------------
n/a
--------------------------------------------------------- 11th Century -----------------------------------------------
n/a
--------------------------------------------------------- 11th Century -------------------------------------------------
The village of Llandough was granted to Tewkesbury Abbey, and a grange was subsequently established here. This remained in Tewkesbury’s ownership until the Dissolution when it was confiscated by the Crown and sold. Llandough fell into obscurity in the 11th century, and its community became extinct. The cemetery appears to have fallen into disuse by around the 11th/ 12th centry. The decline of tar monastery at Llandough may have been associated with the rise of Llandaff, only 3 miles distant
The burials continued at Llandough until the demise of the monastery. The manor of Llandough, together with the priory of Cardiff and the manor of West Llantwit, formed one of the principal Glamorgan properties of Tewkesbury Abbey. The village of Llandough had been granted to the Abbey by Robert FitzHamon at the close of the 1 I th century. As at Llantwit a grange was established
--------------------------------------------------------- 12th Century -----------------------------------------------------
A dovecote and barn overlay the villa site and may be part of the grange. Walls of the villa reused as foundations for a barn. Evidence that occupation may have continued on the villa site into the post-Roman period. These were associated with pits, crude areas of paving, and sections of walling. The corner of a substantial 12th- or 13th-century house had previously been uncovered in 1963, when a gully containing three human skeletons of possible 13th-century date was also recorded. Further structures were revealed during the 1979 watching brief in the same area. The filling of the grave for B10/11* contained a fragment of 13th- or 14th-century roof tile. In various 13th-century grams by small freeholders of messuages and lands in Llandough, the Abbot of Tewkesbury is named as lord of the fee of Llandough
------------------------------------------------------------13th Century ---------------------------------------------------
....the home belonged to the Williams' family and was opened on occasions for local people, schoolchildren and visitors to view. Work was undertaken to replace the stone floor with timber. Underneath the floor in the elegant dining room were found the remains of a soldier and his horse. This suggested there may have been a battle on the site and the soldier was buried where he lay in his armour. The remains were re-buried in the churchyard and his visor and lance given to the National Museum of Wales. Visitors to the farm saw how people lived in the past, how they made their butter, cheese and beer and dried pork, and sent their sheep's wool to the woollen mill on Leckwith Hill for spinning into yarn. They saw the cheese drying room hollowed out of a solid wall and the bedroom where in earlier centuries monks took rest on their travels.
------------------------------------------------------------ 14th Century ---------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------ 15th Century ---------------------------------------------------
In the middle of the 15th century the net revenue for the Abbot of Tewkesbury was about £10. The grange being administered by a bailiff, responsible to the Prior of Cardiff. By this date the Abbey had long ceased to cultivate its land which had been demised to various 'farmers.' At the Dissolution Llandough was confiscated by the Crown and after-wards sold to Edward Ferrers, Lord Clynton.
??????????????????????
------------------------------------------------------------ 16th Century ---------------------------------------------------
n/a
------------------------------------------------------------ 17th Century ---------------------------------------------------
The farmhouse dated largely to the 17th century, although it may have incorporated some earlier fabric.
The wall of the churchyard matches the masonry in the church, which was rebuilt in the mid-19th century.
The chancel arch is said to be Norman. Diane Brook has charted the development of the farms adjacent churchyard in an unpublished M.A. thesis: the current boundary was in existence by 1878, but had developed from a churchyard of more rectilinear form depicted on maps of 1786, 1824 and 1846.
------------------------------------------------------------ 18th Century ---------------------------------------------------
In 1897 at age 22 Guglielmo, Marconi also slept at Great House Farm in a four poster bed whilst working with his experiments in wireless telegraphy. The family sold a dining table in the 70's that was said to have been used by Marconi during his experiments. Between the 11th and 13th of May 1897 the Williams also rode Marconi and his equipment by Horse and cart to Lavernock Point to conduct his famous experiment which became the first person to ever wirelessly communicate over open sea.
Daniel Thomas, a quarryman in Grangetown, Cardiff had strong relations with the Williams family who'd occupied Great House Farm estate. The estate occupier during the early 1900's was John Williams, who agreed that Daniel Thomas could quarry their land on condition that he give the Williams equitable title of the land on completion of the quarrying. Daniel obtained equitable title of Great House Farm from Bute Estate by swapping it for land he owned in Llandaff. A deed of transfer between Daniel Thomas and Bute Estate was filed and a copy held at Cardiff Library.
------------------------------------------------------------ 19th Century ---------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------ 19th Century ---------------------------------------------------
In 1915 Daniel Thomas died and Bute Estates must not have been aware of the agreement between Daniel Thomas and John Williams as they attempted to evict the Williams family from the land. But the Williams were able to prove that they were the new equitable title holders to the Great House Farm estate. The case was dropped immediately.
In the 1940's Western Ground Rents took over Bute Estates with their estate agent, Gregory Joy of Swanbridge.
In 1955 Western Ground Rents obtained a possession order against Mary Williams and her husband Fred Buckler. But Mary Williams clarified confusion by presenting copies of the deed that clearly stated that the Williams would have the land from Daniel Thomas on completion of the quarrying. The possession order were never executed.
Gregory Joy of Swanbridge went to the same Chapel as Esther Williams (Mary Williams Mother). Some time during the 1950's Gregory Joy persuaded Esther to support a gentleman named Bruce (Surname unknown) - Bruce was an itinerant alcoholic and was given work on the farm and accommodation but soon left without notice, taking with him the content of the farm's Blanket box; which included the land deeds.
Gregory Joy of Swanbridge went to the same Chapel as Esther Williams (Mary Williams Mother). Some time during the 1950's Gregory Joy persuaded Esther to support a gentleman named Bruce (Surname unknown) - Bruce was an itinerant alcoholic and was given work on the farm and accommodation but soon left without notice, taking with him the content of the farm's Blanket box; which included the land deeds.
Around this time, Western Ground Rents used their influence to persuade Cardiff Corporation to deny Great House Farm a water supply. As a consequence, the dairy herd (one of the first to be TT tested and accredited in the UK) was depleted by cattle drowning in the river Ely where they sought water. Mary Williams youngest child also had to go to stay with friends as it was not practical for Mary to care for her with no water in the home. Fred Buckler was forced to work as a long distance lorry driver to support his family, leaving his wife Mary and aged mother-in-law to manage what was left of the farm. Questions were even asked in Parliament about the denial of water to the farm.
The stress and pressure of the disintegration of the family farm and separation from her child, caused Mary to suffer a thrombosis in her leg resulting in gangrene. Mary resisted going to hospital for fear that the farm would be taken from her in her absence, eventually it was unavoidable and, in order to save her life, he leg was amputated at the hip condemning her to a life in a wheelchair.
Adverse possession began in 1955. The landowner obtained a possession order but did not execute it.
Adverse possession began in 1955. The landowner obtained a possession order but did not execute it.
In 1962 Western Ground Rents obtained a possession order against Mary Williams and her husband Fred Buckler. But Mary Williams clarified confusion by referring to the 1915 case and Cardiff Libraries' copy of the deed. Once again, the possession orders were never executed. So a fresh possession order was obtained but not executed.
Although the potential antiquity of the site occupied by St Dochdwy’s church has long been recognised, no systematic investigation occurred in the village until an area to the south of the church was excavated by the Barry and Vale Archaeological Group in 1963.
A dovecote and barn, possibly of late 12th-century date, overlay the villa site and may be part of the grange. These were associated with pits, crude areas of paving, and sections of walling. The corner of a substantial 12th- or 13th-century house had previously been uncovered in 1963, when a gully containing three human skeletons of possible 13th-century date was also recorded.
Although the potential antiquity of the site occupied by St Dochdwy’s church has long been recognised, no systematic investigation occurred in the village until an area to the south of the church was excavated by the Barry and Vale Archaeological Group in 1963.
"(At Lower Porthkerry (ST 078669) Mr. G. Davies and Mr. H. J. Thomas, on behalf of the Barry and Vale Archaeological Group, have been excavating a medieval site of three phases. The first is represented by an occupation layer with twelfth-century pottery resting on the natural clay subsoil; no structures have yet been recognised. Phase II, in the thirteenth-fourteenth centuries, saw the erection of a building similar to that found at Barry in 1962 and described in Morgannwg VI, 97-98. The walls, of Lias limestone bound with clay from the alluvial floor of the Porthkerry valley, were 3 ft. to 3 ft. 6 in. thick and measured 35 ft. by 20 ft. externally. The interior was divided into two rooms each 13 ft. 6 in. wide and respectively 24 ft and 6 ft. long. The larger had a hearth, and was entered by opposing doors in the north and south walls. Between the doors, where most damp would be expected, was a slabbed drain. The clay floor level produced sherds of thirteenth-fourteenth century cooking pots and jugs, and an Edward III half groat. In Phase III the internal floors were covered with rubble metalling and a post was inserted against the north wall of the smaller room. The metalling contained a quern and a fifteenth-century French counter. Other finds from various parts of the site included a bronze belt-chape, an iron candlestick, a purse-frame, a sickle, a key, whetstones, a slate pot-lid, and a mortar. LESLIE ALCOCK"
A dovecote and barn, possibly of late 12th-century date, overlay the villa site and may be part of the grange. These were associated with pits, crude areas of paving, and sections of walling. The corner of a substantial 12th- or 13th-century house had previously been uncovered in 1963, when a gully containing three human skeletons of possible 13th-century date was also recorded.
In 1980 - HANSARD 1803–2005 → 1980s → 1980 → May 1980 → 22 May 1980 → Commons Sitting → Clause 128
AMENDMENTS OF LEASEHOLD REFORM ACT 1967 etc.
HC Deb 22 May 1980 vol 985 cc723-65
Western Ground Rents were bought by BP Pension Trust who sought possession of the Williams estate for the fifth time. There was uproar in the community and a huge amount of adverse publicity reaching as far as the House of Commons. Edward "Ted" Rowlands, Baron Rowlands, CBE said;
"...the saddest aspect is that the most rapacious ground landlord, Western Ground Rents, has been bought by the BP pension fund, which is behaving in the same rapacious and, at times, unfeeling and uncaring way in handling the genuine requests of householders. I should like to think that if the many pensioners in the BP fund realised that it was using its power to drive harsh bargains with householders and to act tough and without feeling or care, they would not want such actions to be taken in their name. It is regrettable that a distinguished company, which is half owned by the Government, should behave in that way." https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1980/may/22/amendments-of-leasehold-reform-act-1967
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In 1974, 1,700 people signed a petition for the preservation of this farm where a wealth of history lay hidden. BP Pension Trust then wrote to Mary Williams (now referring to her as a 'squatter') to grant her licence to live in the property until her death. Mary replied claiming "It's my land. It's not your permission to give". The landowner wrote to the squatter granting her licence to live in the property until her death.
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In 1979 further excavations were conducted in this area by GGAT when the earliest structure found was a possible late Iron-age roundhouse, perhaps part of a farmstead. In the 2nd century a.d. a Roman villa was constructed, which developed considerably in the early 3rd century and was occupied until the early 4th century. The fact that some of the walls of the villa were reused as foundations for a 12th- or 13th-century barn was the only evidence identified that occupation may have continued on the villa site into the post-Roman period. Further structures were revealed during the 1979 watching brief in the same area. Jeremy Knight discusses the historical evidence relating to the monastery at Llandough in a separate article in this journal, and that relating to the post Conquest period is discussed elsewhere. Emergency excavations on the site of a previously unrecorded villa at Llandough (ST 16807330) were undertaken in April and May of 1979. The site, which has now been completely destroyed by a housing development, was situated near the crest of the north-east facing escarpment above the Cardiff-Penarth A4160 road, about 200m south-east of St. Dechdwy's Church
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In 1979 further excavations were conducted in this area by GGAT when the earliest structure found was a possible late Iron-age roundhouse, perhaps part of a farmstead. In the 2nd century a.d. a Roman villa was constructed, which developed considerably in the early 3rd century and was occupied until the early 4th century. The fact that some of the walls of the villa were reused as foundations for a 12th- or 13th-century barn was the only evidence identified that occupation may have continued on the villa site into the post-Roman period. Further structures were revealed during the 1979 watching brief in the same area. Jeremy Knight discusses the historical evidence relating to the monastery at Llandough in a separate article in this journal, and that relating to the post Conquest period is discussed elsewhere. Emergency excavations on the site of a previously unrecorded villa at Llandough (ST 16807330) were undertaken in April and May of 1979. The site, which has now been completely destroyed by a housing development, was situated near the crest of the north-east facing escarpment above the Cardiff-Penarth A4160 road, about 200m south-east of St. Dechdwy's Church
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In 1983 Mary Williams died.
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In 1984 copies of the deed of transfer from the Bute Estate to Daniel Thomas and, (shortly after) the index card went missing from Cardiff Library. Mary's son, William Buckler, claimed that BP Pension Trusts' title had been extinguished by adverse possession. The English Court of Appeal rejected this claim. "BP Properties Ltd v Buckler (1987) 55 P & CR 337". The effect of the possession orders was that time did not start running until 1962 at the earliest.
Western Ground Rents had given the Williams family a licence to remain as Mary Williams had 'supposedly' not rejected it. The unilateral licence meant that possession was no longer adverse. Judge Dillan, Lord Justice, in the 1988 case, said "it might have been a different outcome had receipt of Mary's letter been admitted by BP during this final case".
A licence was granted without rent to a disabled woman who would not leave the property, essentially because had received very bad publicity after its attempts to evict the woman and her family from their home. She did not reply to the offer of licence, but continued to live in the house with her son. After her death, her son claimed the house by adverse possession. It was held that Mrs Buckler had been a licensee, even though she had not formally accepted the licence. Dillon LJ held that Mrs Buckler should have replied to the letter.
The decision in BP Properties v. Buckler is surprising, because it seems to mean that if a paper owner offers a squatter a licence, the onus is on the squatter to reject it in order to stay in adverse possession. It might be suggested that BP Properties v. Buckler is an unusual case, because the circumstances of the occupant made it very difficult for the company to evict Mrs Buckler, even though it had been granted a possession order. Since it was trying to be charitable to her, the court was not likely to be very sympathetic to a claim by her son after her death. It is possible that it might be distinguished in different circumstances
BP Properties (no longer BP Pensions Trust) then gave notice for the Buckler family to quit the farm. Great House Farm was demolished during the night of 6th December 1988 by BP Properties following the years of dispute over its ownership.
In 1990 the site was proposed for residential development (NGR ST 16817331). The Vale of Glamorgan Borough Council granted outline planning permission for development with a condition requiring archaeological evaluation given its proximity to the presumed site of the monastery. In 1990 Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust (GGAT) excavated eight trenches across the proposed development area. The results suggested to the excavators that large parts of the site had been disturbed by post-medieval quarrying and levelling. Nearer the churchyard wall disarticulated human skeletal remains, which appeared to have been disturbed from their original context, were located. This part of the site was designated by GGAT as being of medium-high archaeological potential.
In March 1992 full planning permission was obtained for the residential development, with no condition requiring further archaeological work. Generously the developers, Ideal Homes Wales Ltd (now part of Persimmon Homes), voluntarily undertook to sponsor an excavation of that part of the site which was considered to be of medium-high archaeological potential. The total area to be examined was approximately 0.1 ha.
In March 1994 Cotswold Archaeological Trust (CAT; now Cotswold Archaeology) was commissioned to undertake the excavation. At an early stage it became clear that the site contained numerous burials that continued beyond the bounds of the agreed excavation area. Consequently the excavation was extended in order to establish the extent of the cemetery within the development site.
During removal of the topsoil and overburden by a mechanical excavator equipped with a toothless grading bucket, it became clear that numerous articulated burials lay within, and outside, of the area of initial excavation. As a result it was agreed with the developers that, while hand excavation of the original area was continuing, machining should continue to the west, north and east in an attempt to identify the extent of the cemetery within the development site. Following the completion of this process it was agreed that the excavation should be phased with a view to allowing the building contractors access to those parts of the site where archaeological work was complete. As a result excavation resources were initially transferred to the line of a road, which was to be built through the site. Following the removal of the burials along its route excavation then concentrated on the burials to the south of the road, and lastly the area to the north of the road.
In the event an area of 0.22 ha containing a total of 1,026 burials was investigated and work finally ceased on site in September 1994.
The 1994 excavation site lay immediately north of the churchyard wall, and extended as far as the edge of the escarpment. (Fig )
A preliminary typescript report outlining the principal excavation results was issued later that year. It was readily appreciated that the costs of full stratigraphic and osteoarchaeological analyses of the excavated evidence would be considerable, and that this was not a cost which the developers could legitimately be asked to bear (Ideal Homes Wales had already increased their financial contribution more than fivefold from the original project budget to cover the costs of excavating the burials). Given the evident importance of the discoveries, the desirability of full post-excavation analysis was discussed by the Ancient Monuments Board for Wales.
In January 1998 Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments provided funding for the stratigraphic analysis of the site, and the National Museums & Galleries of Wales agreed to produce and co-ordinate reports on the artefacts.
When the post-excavation programme commenced, details of every grave were entered on to a computerised database using Microsoft Access software. For each individual grave a single sheet has been compiled detailing the contextual data; stratigraphic relationships; grave-type; orientation; posture; arm, leg and skull positions; and finds information. A fully computerised plan of the cemetery has also been compiled using Microstation software. The plan and database were then linked using MapInfo software which allows full distribution plots of the information on the sheets and finds to be cross-referenced and analysed.
In October 1998 Louise Loe was awarded a Ph.D. scholarship from the University of Bristol to undertake the osteological examination of the skeletal assemblage.
Washing and processing of the skeletons took place in 1996–2001. Initially different parts of each skeleton had been bagged separately in accordance with the guidelines, but during the processing of the bones the osteological advisor recommended that the bones from each individual be amalgamated into one bag.
Osteological recording of each skeleton was undertaken in the Rheumatology Unit of Bristol University by Louise Loe as part of her doctoral research between 1998 and 2001.
In 2004 a doctorate was awarded to Louise Loe for his osteological examinations.
A digital archive has been prepared and is hosted by the Archaeology Data Service. It can be freely accessed at http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?llandough_cadw_2004. The digital archive comprises a full listing of each grave, including stratigraphic relationships, age and sex of the skeleton, data on body posture and arm positions, and full listings of any artefacts contained within the grave-fill. The database is linked to a digital site plan which allows details of a particular grave, and its location within the cemetery, to be quickly found. The archive also possesses a search facility which allows users to generate their own distribution plots of specific attributes, either singly or in combination. This report contains a short summary account of the human remains which focuses mainly on the demographic characteristics of the cemetery population. A full report on the palaeopathology of the Llandough cemetery will be published elsewhere.
==================================
INFORMATION YET TO BE SORTED
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In 1984 copies of the deed of transfer from the Bute Estate to Daniel Thomas and, (shortly after) the index card went missing from Cardiff Library. Mary's son, William Buckler, claimed that BP Pension Trusts' title had been extinguished by adverse possession. The English Court of Appeal rejected this claim. "BP Properties Ltd v Buckler (1987) 55 P & CR 337". The effect of the possession orders was that time did not start running until 1962 at the earliest.
Western Ground Rents had given the Williams family a licence to remain as Mary Williams had 'supposedly' not rejected it. The unilateral licence meant that possession was no longer adverse. Judge Dillan, Lord Justice, in the 1988 case, said "it might have been a different outcome had receipt of Mary's letter been admitted by BP during this final case".
A licence was granted without rent to a disabled woman who would not leave the property, essentially because had received very bad publicity after its attempts to evict the woman and her family from their home. She did not reply to the offer of licence, but continued to live in the house with her son. After her death, her son claimed the house by adverse possession. It was held that Mrs Buckler had been a licensee, even though she had not formally accepted the licence. Dillon LJ held that Mrs Buckler should have replied to the letter.
The decision in BP Properties v. Buckler is surprising, because it seems to mean that if a paper owner offers a squatter a licence, the onus is on the squatter to reject it in order to stay in adverse possession. It might be suggested that BP Properties v. Buckler is an unusual case, because the circumstances of the occupant made it very difficult for the company to evict Mrs Buckler, even though it had been granted a possession order. Since it was trying to be charitable to her, the court was not likely to be very sympathetic to a claim by her son after her death. It is possible that it might be distinguished in different circumstances
BP Properties (no longer BP Pensions Trust) then gave notice for the Buckler family to quit the farm. Great House Farm was demolished during the night of 6th December 1988 by BP Properties following the years of dispute over its ownership.
In 1990 the site was proposed for residential development (NGR ST 16817331). The Vale of Glamorgan Borough Council granted outline planning permission for development with a condition requiring archaeological evaluation given its proximity to the presumed site of the monastery. In 1990 Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust (GGAT) excavated eight trenches across the proposed development area. The results suggested to the excavators that large parts of the site had been disturbed by post-medieval quarrying and levelling. Nearer the churchyard wall disarticulated human skeletal remains, which appeared to have been disturbed from their original context, were located. This part of the site was designated by GGAT as being of medium-high archaeological potential.
In March 1992 full planning permission was obtained for the residential development, with no condition requiring further archaeological work. Generously the developers, Ideal Homes Wales Ltd (now part of Persimmon Homes), voluntarily undertook to sponsor an excavation of that part of the site which was considered to be of medium-high archaeological potential. The total area to be examined was approximately 0.1 ha.
In March 1994 Cotswold Archaeological Trust (CAT; now Cotswold Archaeology) was commissioned to undertake the excavation. At an early stage it became clear that the site contained numerous burials that continued beyond the bounds of the agreed excavation area. Consequently the excavation was extended in order to establish the extent of the cemetery within the development site.
During removal of the topsoil and overburden by a mechanical excavator equipped with a toothless grading bucket, it became clear that numerous articulated burials lay within, and outside, of the area of initial excavation. As a result it was agreed with the developers that, while hand excavation of the original area was continuing, machining should continue to the west, north and east in an attempt to identify the extent of the cemetery within the development site. Following the completion of this process it was agreed that the excavation should be phased with a view to allowing the building contractors access to those parts of the site where archaeological work was complete. As a result excavation resources were initially transferred to the line of a road, which was to be built through the site. Following the removal of the burials along its route excavation then concentrated on the burials to the south of the road, and lastly the area to the north of the road.
In the event an area of 0.22 ha containing a total of 1,026 burials was investigated and work finally ceased on site in September 1994.
The 1994 excavation site lay immediately north of the churchyard wall, and extended as far as the edge of the escarpment. (Fig )
A preliminary typescript report outlining the principal excavation results was issued later that year. It was readily appreciated that the costs of full stratigraphic and osteoarchaeological analyses of the excavated evidence would be considerable, and that this was not a cost which the developers could legitimately be asked to bear (Ideal Homes Wales had already increased their financial contribution more than fivefold from the original project budget to cover the costs of excavating the burials). Given the evident importance of the discoveries, the desirability of full post-excavation analysis was discussed by the Ancient Monuments Board for Wales.
In January 1998 Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments provided funding for the stratigraphic analysis of the site, and the National Museums & Galleries of Wales agreed to produce and co-ordinate reports on the artefacts.
When the post-excavation programme commenced, details of every grave were entered on to a computerised database using Microsoft Access software. For each individual grave a single sheet has been compiled detailing the contextual data; stratigraphic relationships; grave-type; orientation; posture; arm, leg and skull positions; and finds information. A fully computerised plan of the cemetery has also been compiled using Microstation software. The plan and database were then linked using MapInfo software which allows full distribution plots of the information on the sheets and finds to be cross-referenced and analysed.
In October 1998 Louise Loe was awarded a Ph.D. scholarship from the University of Bristol to undertake the osteological examination of the skeletal assemblage.
Washing and processing of the skeletons took place in 1996–2001. Initially different parts of each skeleton had been bagged separately in accordance with the guidelines, but during the processing of the bones the osteological advisor recommended that the bones from each individual be amalgamated into one bag.
Osteological recording of each skeleton was undertaken in the Rheumatology Unit of Bristol University by Louise Loe as part of her doctoral research between 1998 and 2001.
In 2004 a doctorate was awarded to Louise Loe for his osteological examinations.
Louise has a first degree in Archaeology from the University of Bristol. Her PhD research examined health and socio-economic status in early medieval Wales, which involved the primary documentation of the 4th to 12th century skeletons from Llandough, South Glamorgan.
A digital archive has been prepared and is hosted by the Archaeology Data Service. It can be freely accessed at http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?llandough_cadw_2004. The digital archive comprises a full listing of each grave, including stratigraphic relationships, age and sex of the skeleton, data on body posture and arm positions, and full listings of any artefacts contained within the grave-fill. The database is linked to a digital site plan which allows details of a particular grave, and its location within the cemetery, to be quickly found. The archive also possesses a search facility which allows users to generate their own distribution plots of specific attributes, either singly or in combination. This report contains a short summary account of the human remains which focuses mainly on the demographic characteristics of the cemetery population. A full report on the palaeopathology of the Llandough cemetery will be published elsewhere.
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INFORMATION YET TO BE SORTED
2026 Discovery of theft, fraud, court mistakes, proceedural unfairness, human rights violations, supression / consealment of information, purgergy, negligence/ incompetence : https://github.com/unclehowell/datro/tree/greathousefarm/
MATTER OF: Ty Mawr / Great House Farm – Estate of Mary Williams
Consolidated Claimant Narrative Account (Affidavit-Style Summary of Events and Evidence as Relied Upon by Family)
1. OVERALL POSITION OF THE FAMILY
The family of Mary Williams assert that:
- Mary Williams was the lawful holder of fee simple absolute title derived from her father.
- That title was not voluntarily surrendered.
- The family maintains that the later registered position does not reflect the true underlying proprietary reality.
-
The displacement of the family’s interest is described by them as occurring through a combination of:
- administrative reclassification
- procedural disadvantage
- misidentification in official correspondence
- and enforcement actions the family experienced as coercive and disproportionate
2. IDENTITY / NAME CLASSIFICATION ISSUE (“MRS BUCKLER”)
The family assert that:
- Official licence correspondence referred to Mary Williams as “Mrs Buckler.”
-
This is relied upon by the family as evidence of:
- misidentification of the legal person in possession/ownership position
- and a consequential reframing of her status within administrative and legal processes
The family position is that this naming was not neutral, but part of a broader pattern in which Mary Williams’ proprietary identity was not consistently recognised in official documentation.
3. KEY LIFE AND DEATH CONTEXT
Death Certificate (Mary Doreen Williams – March 1983, South Glamorgan)
The family rely upon this record to establish:
- The date on which Mary Williams ceased to be able to provide direct testimony or rebuttal
- That subsequent procedural steps affecting the property occurred without her capacity to respond
The family assert that this created a structural disadvantage in any later dispute process, as the principal title holder was no longer alive to contest interpretations of ownership.
4. CONTEMPORANEOUS MEDIA AND COMMUNITY REPORTING (AS RELIED UPON BY FAMILY)
The family further rely on contemporaneous press and broadcast accounts, including:
ITV and press reporting (as described by family)
The family assert that media coverage at the time reported:
- Significant enforcement presence at or around the property
- Neighbour accounts describing the operation in terms likened to an “SAS-style operation”
- Reports indicating the presence of a large number of police officers (described in some accounts as approximately 30 officers)
-
Family members present during the events included:
- a pregnant mother
- and a father with a heart condition
The family rely on this material to assert that:
- The manner of enforcement was experienced as highly coercive and disproportionate
- The context was not one of routine civil administration in their lived experience, but of significant force and escalation
5. FAMILY EXPERIENCE OF THE DISPUTE PROCESS
The heirs describe the overall process as follows:
-
A gradual reclassification of Mary Williams’ status from:
-
inherited owner (as understood by the family)
to - occupier / non-title holder (as reflected in later administrative position)
-
inherited owner (as understood by the family)
They assert that:
- They consistently rejected this framing
- They did not accept any voluntary surrender or lawful transfer of the estate
- They experienced the process as asymmetric, with institutional interpretation outweighing lived and historical occupation
6. CORE ALLEGATION OF TITLE DISPLACEMENT
The family’s central assertion is:
- Mary Williams held inherited fee simple absolute title
- Administrative correspondence misidentified her legal identity (including “Mrs Buckler”)
- Procedural processes reclassified her status without lawful transfer
- Enforcement actions followed this reclassification
- The registered outcome does not reflect the underlying lawful estate as the family understand it
7. PROCEDURAL AND HUMAN CONTEXT (AS ASSERTED IMPACT)
The family further assert:
- That Mary Williams and her household were placed under significant pressure during the dispute period
-
That capacity to respond was limited by:
- age
- disability
- resource imbalance
- That later procedural stages occurred without her direct participation due to her death in 1983
8. FAMILY CHARACTERISATION OF THE OVERALL OUTCOME
The heirs describe the outcome as:
- A progressive erosion of control over ancestral land
- Achieved through administrative classification changes rather than any acknowledged voluntary transfer
- Experienced as a cumulative process rather than a single legal event
9. STATUS OF THIS ACCOUNT
This document represents:
- The family’s consolidated evidential narrative
-
Based on:
- licence correspondence (including naming issue as asserted)
- death certificate
- contemporaneous media reporting as relied upon
- family testimony and recollection
It is presented as a contested account requiring adjudication against the formal legal record, not as an agreed judicial finding.
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There are three linked publications of the data from Llandough.
A principal account of the cemetery will be published in Medieval Archaeology XLIX (2005) as N. Holbrook and A. Thomas, An Early Medieval Monastic Cemetery at Llandough, Glamorgan. Excavations in 1994.
Second - ?
The third publication will be a full report on the palaeopathology of the Llandough cemetery which is in preparation: L. K. Loe, Health and Socio-Economic Status in Early Medieval Wales (British Archaeological Reports British Series, forthcoming).
The human remains and site archive are curated in the National Museums and Galleries of Wales, Cardiff.
The original ground level of the cemetery had been truncated at some stage following its abandonment. Over much of the excavation area, particularly the north and west parts, articulated skeletons were found a matter of only a few centimetres below modern ground level (Fig. 4). Indeed although no burials were found in the north-east corner of the excavation, and only a few in the north-west part of the site, it is almost certain that they had once existed in these areas but had been completely removed by later truncation. The plan as produced (Fig. 5) cannot therefore be regarded as a true reflection of the original distribution of burials within the excavated area. Much of the levelling was presumably associated with the construction of Great House Farm, of which some walls survived within the excavation area. Evidence was also recovered of post-medieval quarrying (p. 39). One deep quarry bisected the excavation and others were exposed to the west of the excavation area during the construction of two houses. In the southern part of the excavation area nearest to the churchyard wall a dark brown loam 007 overlay the natural clay, possibly the remnants of a former cultivation soil.
In addition to the subsequent disturbance of the site, the intensive use of the cemetery led to a large degree of intercutting which further reduced the level of preservation. Despite these difficulties a total of 814 inhumations was excavated and recorded, along with a further 212 disarticulated bone groups. Prior to the
processing of the skeletons a rapid assessment on their state of preservation was carried out (Tab. 1). The assessment was based on the approximate percentage of bones per skeleton remaining, and shows that most of the burials were either well preserved (category A) or poorly preserved (categories D and E). The latter two categories mostly comprise burials that had been disturbed by later interments.
The disarticulated bone groups were mostly found within the fills of later graves. Of the 814 inhumations recorded on site, 801 were identified as discrete skeletons during detailed osteological examination (see below).
Table 1
PRESERVATION OF THE SKELETAL
ASSEMBLAGE BY PROPORTION OF
BODY SURVIVING (FROM SITE
RECORDS)
Category Total
A (70–100%) 425
B (50–70%) 77
C (30–50%) 73
D (10–30%) 126
E (under 10%) 113
Bone groups (disarticulated) 212
Total 1,026
The cemetery was provisionally divided into three areas during the initial post-excavation programme (Fig. 6). This division was necessarily somewhat arbitrary as no features such as boundary ditches or walls contemporary with the use of the cemetery were found in the excavation. This deficiency is exacerbated by the absence of vertical stratigraphy due to the truncation of the site. The division was therefore made purely on the basis of the spatial distribution of the burials. During subsequent post-excavation work, analysis of the artefacts and the results of a selective programme of radiocarbon dating have permitted some conclusions to be drawn on the layout and development of the cemetery.
Area I comprised those burials contained within a putative curvilinear boundary (no trace of the boundary survived but its existence was suspected from a concentration of graves on a distinct NE.–SW. alignment; see below p. 88).
In the west part of the site rows of occasionally intercutting inhumations were found, which for convenience have been termed Area II.
To the north of Area I there were further burials, and indeed they may continue to the south-west to cut the original burials in Area II. These burials have been termed Area III
Types of Burial
All of the burials at Llandough were inhumations, and almost all were single burials within individual grave cuts. There were, however, a small number of exceptions. There was a single instance of an adult male burial (B18, M, 45+) placed directly on top of a child (B24, C) in the same grave cut. There were also two instances, one in Area I (B10, M, 40, and B11*, M, 40) and the other in Area III (B206*, C, and B212*, C), where two male adults and two children were placed side-by-side. The filling of the grave for B10/11* contained a fragment of 13th- or 14th-century roof tile (although cf. p. 32). There was also an instance in Area II (B265*, M, 45+, and B267*, fetus) where an adult and a fetus, or conceivably a new-born infant, were buried in the same grave. Double burials occur rarely in Late Roman cemeteries, but were more prevalent in the early post-Roman cemeteries at Cannington (5% of the population) and Henley Wood, Somerset (where there were five examples, including an adult associated with a juvenile)
Age and Sex Distributions
Of the population available for study, 30% was either certainly or probably male, 25% certainly or probably female, and 26% children under 18 (Figs. 18–19). The distribution of male, female and child burials is shown in Figure 12, and more detailed information is available in the digital archive. It would appear from the overall plan that the adult graves were not grouped according to age and sex, but that all areas of the cemetery contain mixed burials. Area III contained a distinct concentration of child and young child burials, which were scattered throughout the area, although two adjacent clusters could be recognised. The burials within the clusters were aligned E.–W. These juvenile burials cut through adult inhumations, with the solitary exception of B568, which was partially overlain by the adult B562, and so represent the final use of this part of the cemetery. Within all parts of the cemetery it is possible to discern localised concentrations or possible alignments of the same sex, although it is doubtful how much significance should be attached to these observations. No obvious patterning could be recognised within the different age categories of the adult burials.
Body Positions
The vast majority of the inhumations at Llandough were extended and supine, although there were rare examples of differing postures. One burial (B233) had been placed on its right-hand side, and four burials were flexed (B55, B68, B333* which produced a radiocarbon date of 610–777 cal a.d., and B652). Of these B68 and 652 were young children, while B55 and B333* were adults. The flexed burial of a young man was found dug into the ruins of the Roman villa to the south of the church: it produced a radiocarbon date of 999–1284 cal a.d.16 A single prone burial (B470, C) was found in Area III. Finds from the grave
included two lead balls of shot which must be intrusive. Nearby was B474* (F, 30) who had been laid on her back with the knees drawn up to her chest. A pit-burial (B601*, YA) was also found in the same area (Figs. 10, 14C). This burial was unique in that the upper torso had been laid on a slope of approximately 45o, suggesting that it had been placed in a pre-existing pit which was at least 0.48 m deep. The eastern part of this pit, which must have contained the legs of the burial, had been removed by modern activity. The grave fill contained three sherds of pottery: two from a late Iron-age/Early-Roman calcite-gritted jar, the other from a possible Severn Valley ware jar or large tankard. A 1st-century a.d. date is suggested for this burial (p. 86)Leg Positions
The vast majority of burials had their legs out straight, as with the postRoman cemeteries of Cannington and Henley Wood where this was almost the only position.17 Exceptions comprised eight burials which had their ankles crossed (e.g. B39*), one adult burial (B89) which had the right leg flexed and the other straight, and a further fourteen burials with slightly flexed or bowed legs, probably a result of post-burial settlement.
Arm Positions
Seventeen arm positions (A–Q) have been defined in the cemetery population with reference to those identified in the discussion of the Poundbury (Dorset) assemblage. These are listed in Table 3 and their occurrence quantified in Table
Table 3
POSITION OF THE ARMS IN THE CEMETERY POPULATION (ILLUSTRATED
EXAMPLES IN BRACKETS)
Arm Position A both arms straight (B6, B10, B39, B64, B898)
Arm position B left arm bent on to pelvis, right arm straight (B114, B206, B251, B265,
B796)
Arm Position C left arm straight, right arm bent onto pelvis (B87, B536)
Arm Position D both arms bent onto pelvis (B212, B537)
Arm Position E both arms crossed on lower chest (B474)
Arm Position F both arms crossed on waist (B66)
Arm Position G left arm straight, right arm crossed on waist (B2, B13)
Arm Position H left arm bent onto pelvis, right arm crossed on waist (B622)
Arm position I left arm crossed on waist, right arm bent onto pelvis (B115)
Arm Position J left arm raised by head, right arm bent or crossed onto pelvis (B37,
B333)
Arm Position K both arms raised by head (B80)
Arm Position L left arm straight, right arm raised by head (B98)
Arm Position M left arm crossed on waist, right arm on chest (B101)
Arm Position N left arm raised by head, right arm on chest (B190)
Arm Position O left arm on chest, right arm crossed on waist (B405)
Arm Position P both arms crossed on pelvis (B601)
Arm Position Q left arm crossed on waist, right arm straight (B35)
The most common position was with both arms straight (Position A: 25% of the population), followed by Position B (19%), Position P (15%), Position C (14%) and Position D (6%). None of these arm positions was confined to any particular part of the cemetery and all were found within Areas I–III. Most of the other arm positions were too rare to allow for any meaningful analysis of their distribution, and there were five instances where the arm position was unique, and one with only two examples. Four burials in these latter two categories were found in one part of Area I: B80*, B98*, B190* (which contained a burial pebble), and B333* (which produced a radiocarbon date of 610–777 cal a.d.). Woodward has studied the arm positions in a selection of Late Roman and early post-Roman cemeteries, and concluded: ‘. . . that some cemeteries are characterised by very particular combinations of arm positions, although no general chronological or spatial patterning of the different specific positions may be perceived.’19 Table 4 presents the data from a number of sites, and the lack of obvious pattern is apparent. Tables 5 and 6 present a concordance of burials with independent dating evidence, and it is evident that certain arm positions were
utilised over a very long period.
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PREVALENCE OF SELECTED BURIAL TRAITS IN LATE-ROMAN-MEDIEVAL
CEMETERIES
Poundbury (Dorset) and Cirencester (Gloucs.) are late Roman; Cannington and Henley Wood (Somerset) early post-Roman; Caerwent (Mons.) c. 6th–7th century. At Capel Maelog (Powys) the cemetery spans the period from the 7th/11th to early 16th century, although of a population around 500 individuals, sufficient skeletal material to determine the burial arrangement of the corpse survived only in 16 graves which date to the period from the mid-13th century to the early 16th century.
Arm Position A doubtless occurred throughout the life of the cemetery and was certainly still being used after the late 9th century at least (B228). Arm Position B was used in burials B110 and B65, which produced radiocarbon dates of 655–938 and 705–1000 cal a.d. respectively; and in three graves containing burial pebbles. Arm Position C also occurs in four graves containing burial pebbles (the incidental sherd of medieval tile in the filling of grave B10* is probably intrusive) and in B87* which produced a radiocarbon date of 776–1018 cal a.d. The arms crossed-on-chest arm position (Position E) has been discussed in the report on the excavations at Cannington. It has been suggested that this might be a possible indicator of Christianity, but the authors stress that too few examples have been found in unequivocal Christian contexts for there to be any certainty in the matter.
Its rarity at Llandough demonstrates that it was not a common early Christian rite in this part of Wales at least. Arm Position G was used for a burial with a radiocarbon date of 370–640 cal a.d. and in four graves containing burial pebbles. Arm Position P occurs in six graves containing burial pebbles (the 13th-century terminus post quem provided by a single sherd of medieval tile from a burial underlying B811 has been disregarded) and in one (B688) that produced a radiocarbon date of 779–1024 cal a.d. Arm Position K is unusual although a single burial at the Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Alton (Hants.) had the right arm sharply bent back with the hand on the neck which could have been due to the pain caused by severe arthritis in the vertebrae.
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Archaeological Notes 120/121 Llandough, South Glamorgan (ST 1681 7331)
Prior to the development of land to the no. of St Dochdwy's church, Llandough an excavation was carried out by the Cotswold Archaeological Trust on behalf of Ideal Homes Ltd. This followed an evaluation of the site by the Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust M 1.0. A loin of 858 inhumations were recovered from what is the largest Party Christian cemetery excavated to date in Wales. The absence of grave-goods from the great majority of burials makes dating the development of the cemetery difficult, although analysis of pottery contained within die grave fills and radiocarbon dating of a couple of the burials allows the following provisional summary to be proposed. A single burial, which the within a pit. can probably be assigned to the Late Iron Age, for it contained a distinctive sherd of pottery of that period, and also the rite of pit Inal is well attested at that time. Another burial may be early Roman for it contained a complete brooch of rosthentury date. Both burials lay to 81 1118 of the site and appear to be unrelated to the later cemeteries. It is possible that some of die burials in the area nearest to the church where excavation proved possible, could date to the later Roman period. A number of mavervontained late Roman pottery and fourth-century coins in their fills, and some produced iron hob-nails, a distinctive late Roman burialroradition. The main activity on the site dates to the mist-Roman period when historical sources indicate that a monastery dedicated to the fourth-century British saint Bocce was established at Llandough. The location of the monastery has always been assumed to lie beneath the present Murch of St Dochwy (Docco) and the recent excavation would mean ha confirm Min Pan of a shithrommiry curvilinear graveyard, which seems to have been focused on the chm. site, was identified A further cemetery consisting of parallel rows of ...dons was esmblished the west, but the precise relationship with the curvilinear cemetery is not clear. Around the tenth century the curvilinear cemetery was expanded to dm northern edge of an escarpment which overlooks the Ely and Taff estuaries. later expansion cut through the rows of inhumation bunals to the west. The latest phase of burial occurs within this expanded cemetery a. is represent. by about /00 infants which cut the adult and juvenile burials beneath. Apart horn one prone, one crouched and a few flexed burials. Finally all of the burials were extended and supine. Grave-goods were rase and consisted of a few Roman beads, the early Rom. brooch and a possible iron belt. Several graves had scanerings of quartz a. limestone pebble,. A significant find finrn a few of the graves were sherds of so-called Bii ornplieraw These ceramic vessels were produced in nar vicinity of Antioch in by a. were imported into post-Roman western Britain during the period AD cA2S-550. All memory of the graveyard appears to have been lost before a rectangular timber building was constructed in the non-eastern part of the site. Medieval potsherds dating to the twelfth and fourteenth centuries were recover. from Me fill of potholes of this building. Walls and other features relating to Great House Farm, constructed in the seventeenth century, but /GM possible medieval origins. were also II (Ally along with evidence of post-medieval quarrying.
Akin Thomas and Neil Holbrook
for the Cotsworld Archaeological Trust
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Archaeological Notes
he earliest occupation on the site was represented by part of a circular structure, two gullies (possibly to take a palisade) and some associated post hole, These features were stratified below the villa levels, and produced pottery sherds of characteristic late Iron Age/Romano-British type. In its earliest phase the villa consisted of a substantial building with stone foundations, containing at least five rooms or passages, one of which contained the supports for a hypocaust system. This building was probably enclosed by a well built wall and twin parallel ditches. In the late second or early third century the enclosure wall was demolished, the ditches filled in and a new range of buildings constructed. These incorporated a bath complex with a well preserved cold plunge bath; another part of the range probably served as a barn. During this period the villa probably compared in size and status with those at Llantwit Major and Ely. Archaeological evidence was recovered for the monastic grange belonging to Tewkesbury Abbey, which was established at Llandough by the 12th century. A part of the monastic bank constructed of finely dressed stone, was examined, as were the almost complete foundations of the columbarium. Brief records were also made of three of the houses of the medieval village. Some of the Romano-British walling was still standing to a sufficient height in the 130,14th century to be incorporated into the medieval structures; a number of post-Roman burials were also recorded. The facts, taken together with the other evidence, archaeological and literary, for Early Christian activity at Llandough, strongly suggest continuity of occupation into the post-Roman period.
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An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Glamorgan: Domestic architecture from the Reformation to the Industrial Revolution. Part 2, Farmhouses and cottages, v. 2; v. 4
(MG 51) Llandough Grange
The remains of the grange were discovered and partially excavated by the Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust in 1979 in advance of building development. These consisted of:
(a) ? Barn, aligned N.-S. Only the N.E. angle survived, the walling of which was lin thick bonded with clay, and having an external batter. In the E. wall was a door 1.8 m wide approached by a paved road. On the N.E. side was a masonry blocking incorporating, walling of a Roman villa.
(b) Dovecot located about 4 m N.W. of the barn. Only the circular foundations survived, overlying Roman demolition deposits. This was 6 inch in diameter overall with walls 1 • 4 m thick, having a narrow doorway facing N. W. The dimensions of the structure correspond closely with the dovecot of the sister grange at Llantwit Major.
Clark. I. p.933; ttl. pp. 715-7,742-3: W. Rees, 'Accounts of the Rectory of Cardiff and other possessions of the Abbey of Tewkesbury in Glamorgan. for the year 1449-50: S. Wales and Mon. Rec. Soc.. II 09501, pp. 129-86: Glamorgan-Gwent Arch. Trust, Director's Report. Nov. 1978 -Nlay 1979. pp. 13-4. Llandough, Cogan and Leckwith (E), Penarth (C) ST 17 St. (1685 7313) 22 viii 79 XLVII N.W.
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